Chapter 38
“You slipped out last night.” This was not a question from Doctor Sterling, but rather, a statement of fact. The doctor, who had drawn himself to his full height, looked down at Flicker with deep furrows in his brow and his silvery-grey ears leaning out over his face. Responding to Flicker’s stony silence, the doctor continued, “And you took your companions with you.”
Unflinching, unmoving, Flicker stared up at Doctor Sterling, impassive.
“It’s about time you did something normal for your age. I am so relieved, Mister Nicker. I trust that you had a good time, and that I will not be hearing about your exploits in the morning papers?”
“We went to the Chapel of Night so Hennessy could satisfy his faith. Afterward, we went to a cafe to drink mulled wine. It was bitterly cold outside and the spiced mulled wine hit the spot. I burned my mouth on a vegetable pasty.” Relieved, Flicker let the words spill out of his mouth and there was a noticeable change in his posture as he relaxed a little.
“Ah yes, restoring Princess Luna to her proper place of worship, as it was long ago.” Doctor Sterling inhaled, his ribs expanding, and he nodded to show his approval. “Prince Gosling has done well to try to restore Princess Luna to her sister’s side so she can be worshipped among the First Tribes. With his attentiveness and his friendship, Princess Luna’s mercurial moods have stabilised a bit.” One of the doctor’s eyebrows raised and the other angled down into a thoughtful position, making the doctor look wise. “You know, sometimes, all it takes is one good friendship to sort a pony out. You would do well to remember that, Mister Nicker.”
“Yes, of course, Doctor Sterling.” Flicker bowed his head.
“Are you ready to make a donation to the Weeping Sister Hospital?” Doctor Sterling asked as he looked down at his younger apprentice. “Wicked was going on and on about you and how much it is going to take to set you straight. He sees you becoming a troublemaker.”
Flicker gulped.
“Off of the record, Mister Nicker, I thought the chainsaw was a good idea. You didn’t have a sword, and while a chainsaw is dangerous, you did have presence of mind to grab safety goggles—clearly you behaved in a safe, sane manner.”
Both Hennessy and Piper began chortling, but Flicker didn’t get the joke. He just nodded in response to the doctor, believing the doctor’s praise to be sincere. A warm, affectionate smile spread over Doctor Sterling’s muzzle, and reaching up with a front hoof, he patted Flicker on the neck a few times.
“Okay, all of you, this will be a working day. We have much to do and we shall find breakfast on the way to the Weeping Sister Hospital. Prepare for a lot of walking. Today shall be quite exciting, I would venture. Bundle up, it is quite cold outside for the season and the wind is very blustery.”
The warmth of the sun did not reach Canterlot this day. Under siege, Canterlot was beset by a howling, ferocious wind that was stiff enough to make walking a treacherous proposition done by the foolhardy or the obligated. Hennessy, who had nothing, owned nothing, was wearing a thick brown woollen cloak issued to him by the guild, while Piper had a somewhat thinner woollen rain cloak that was the same colour as her mane and was more suitable for Vanhoover than Canterlot.
The doctor was fashionably attired in a heavy black frock coat, a rain cape, and a white silk scarf. He cut a dapper figure, even in Canterlot, with his regal, silver-grey features and majestic mustache. He lead the way and his apprentices followed along behind him in single file, leaning into the wind as they made their way into the city.
During a particularly strong gale-force gust of wind, Piper was almost blown away, and would have been had Flicker not grabbed her. His telekinesis, made strong from pulling farm equipment, yet gentle from caring for his sister, snatched Piper out of the air and put her back down upon the ground, unharmed, but a little scared.
This was life in Canterlot. The pegasus ponies were all grounded, the guard did not circle overhead to keep an eye on the city, yet life continued and there was traffic in the streets. The ponies of Canterlot had adjusted to this lifestyle long ago and lived in happy defiance of it. Any proper Canterlot pony could tell stories of the special happiness found only on the days when the smoke from chimneys flowed sideways.
The inside of the cafe was warm, perhaps even too warm, and it was packed with ponies seeking shelter from the cold. Doctor Sterling and his apprentices were able to squeeze into a small, cosy, intimate little booth together, and right away, Doctor Sterling ordered the morning quiche special without even asking what it was. The waitress, smiling, hurried away to do her job, glad that there was no hemming or hawing on such a busy day.
A pot of strong breakfast tea was plunked down on the table as another waitress passed, along with some oversized cups, some spoons, and a few saucers. There was already heavy cream, sugar, and honey on the table. The companions begin fixing their tea to their liking and Hennessy added far more sugar than was necessary, causing the doctor to chuckle.
About fifteen minutes later, a massive quiche was plopped down upon the table, along with four plates and a serving trowel. Doctor Sterling leaned over the enormous pie and examined it, curious to see what was for breakfast. A cursory inspection of the pie revealed onions, red peppers, big chewy pieces of garlic, sun dried tomatoes, zucchinis, and great globs of runny goat cheese.
Without further ado, breakfast was served.
Traversing the city in gale force winds was quite a workout, and Piper got the worst of it, being the smallest and lightest. With her thin cloak, she was miserable as they drew closer to the Weeping Sister Hospital. Yet, Piper continued without complaint, she soldiered on without crying, without whining, determined to stick this out, even if she froze to death or was blown away.
The weeping statue of Princess Celestia was a welcomed sight. Her many tears had turned into icicles, which hung from her cheeks at odd angles, shaped by the wind. The icicles had many points, many jagged tips, the wind had done terrible things to shape the ice into cruel, unfriendly shapes.
But Flicker scarcely noticed. No, his attention was drawn to an old zebra mare exiting the hospital, a tiny little pegasus filly in tow behind her. Her mane, and her tail as well, was long and ropey, reaching the ground all around her. Flicker stared, transfixed by the strange, wrinkled old mare, trying to remember the name for how her mane had grown. The old mare was unfamiliar, yet somehow familiar, and something about her terrified him, but also left him feeling very calm.
The little pegasus filly was pronking about, giggling and laughing, unconcerned and unaffected by the wind. That was when Flicker noticed that the zebra mare’s long ropey mane wasn’t blown by the wind at all, she too, was unaffected, and for a brief second, she looked Flicker right in the eye.
His blood froze in his veins, and it wasn’t from the sub-zero wind. He watched the little pegasus filly frolic, she looked so happy and carefree as she followed after the zebra. She was pretty, the pegasus filly, she was a pale shade of blue, almost white, and she had a vibrant pink mane that had dark blue streaks.
“Are you seeing this?” Flicker asked.
“Seeing what?” Doctor Sterling replied.
“That.” Flicker pointed. “The old zebra. The wind doesn’t seem to affect her.”
“I see nothing. Flicker… are you feeling okay?” Doctor Sterling began to stare at his apprentice, waiting for a response. As he stood waiting, Piper and Hennessy exchanged a worried glance with one another.
“You don’t see it?” Flicker inhaled the cold, bitter air, and held it.
“There is nothing to see, my boy.” Doctor Sterling shook his head. “Come, let us go inside, we can discuss this where it is warm.”
“Look, I know what I saw, I have no reason to lie and I’m not going crazy.” Even as Flicker said the words, he realised just how crazy they sounded. Scowling, he looked up at Doctor Sterling, feeling just a little betrayed. “I’m telling the truth… I know what I saw.”
“Flicker, I accept that you think that you saw something,” Doctor Sterling whispered as he shook his head, “but none of us saw it. You’ve been under a lot of stress lately, and taking morphine. Flicker, my boy, there can be hallucinations—”
“I know what I saw!” Flicker snapped.
“Yes, and I believe that you saw it.” Doctor Sterling’s voice was thick with concern and worry. “But we didn’t see it. You were the only pony that saw it. It was only real to you.”
“What I saw was real,” Flicker insisted as he tried to swallow the angry lump in his throat. He felt a growing fury as he thought about his senses betraying him. Why would his senses betray him? Was it just the morphine? He had been very sparing with those tablets. The colt thought about how the zebra’s mane didn’t blow in the gale and the pegasus filly wasn’t the least bit bothered by the weather. Flicker felt his legs begin to tremble.
“It was real and I can prove it.” Flicker ground his teeth together for a moment. “When somepony comes to accept my donation, I’ll ask them if there is a filly here that matches the description of what I saw. If not, I’ll shut up about it. If so, then I want an apology.”
Humouring the colt, Doctor Sterling nodded. “Very well, that seems reasonable.”
His jaw set, Flicker waited.
After hearing everything that Flicker had to say, Doctor Gambol leaned over his desk with a worried expression upon his face and looked at the angry, troubled colt hunched over in a chair in front of the desk. Doctor Sterling, sitting beside the colt, had a blank expression the entire time the colt recited all of the relevant facts.
Flicker, looking at Doctor Gambol, waited to be vindicated.
“Little pegasus filly… pale blue, almost white, with a very pink mane that has dark blue streaks—”
“Yes!” Flicker shouted, far more animated than he would be under normal circumstances.
Doctor Gambol coughed a few times and pounded his own barrel. “Flicker, I don’t know of any nice way of telling you this. That filly, her name was Lovely Aurora—”
Flicker let out a wheeze; it both felt and sounded as though he had been punched in the stomach.
“—and she had stomach cancer. Last night, at midnight, after determining that there was no way for her to recover, we administered a merciful dose of morphine and pentobarbital as her mother and father held her. At about one minute after twelve, she closed her eyes and went to sleep. At four minutes after twelve, we marked the time of her death. Flicker, I don’t know what you saw, or how you saw it, but there is no way that the filly in question could be up and pronking around. I have no idea how you knew about her, or were able to describe her so well.”
In his chair, Flicker sat rigid, trying to comprehend what he had just heard. It didn’t make sense, but then again, seeing an old zebra mare with a ropey mane and tail being followed by a dead filly didn’t make sense either. In his mind’s eye, he recalled how happy the filly looked, how lighthearted she was, and how she played. His mouth fell open, but no words came out.
“Mister Nicker… Flicker… I apologise for doubting you.” Doctor Sterling’s voice was flat and emotionless as he spoke. “But now we have a bigger problem… as you seem to be seeing things that shouldn’t be seen. This is worrisome, Flicker, and I am concerned.”
“Flicker, you look unwell,” Doctor Gambol said to the colt as he rose from his chair.
Blinking once, Flicker’s face went from being distraught to being utterly blank. There was a hardness in his eyes now, and he replied, “I’m fine. For a time, I was worried that my senses had betrayed me. I know what I saw.” The colt paused and shook his head. “I came here to make a donation. Two hundred gold bits. Do the parents have the means to bury her?”
“We are busy making arrangements for that,” Doctor Gambol replied.
“See that my donation goes towards that cause.” Flicker rubbed his neck with his hoof as he tried to sort out his unsettled mind.
“Very well, that can and will be done.” Doctor Gambol bowed his head in acknowledgment.
Glancing at Flicker, Doctor Sterling cleared his throat. “I cannot let my apprentice be so generous without matching him. I shall donate two hundred gold bits as well, and see that it goes towards the burial. That should be enough for a nice headstone, or a memorial marker, I would think.”
Leaning back in his chair, Flicker sighed, rubbed his neck some more, and shook his head, his face still blank. He thought about the old zebra mare, something about her was familiar, but he couldn’t quite put his hoof on what it was. At least he now had confirmation that he wasn’t seeing things, but this still troubled him. Now he had a different problem.
He was seeing things that he should not see.
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Death can be kind...
For every question answered, two new questions arise.
so Flicker is seeing Death and the filly she collected at least in this insistence. One insistence doesn't mean that it will keep happening of course this might be a side effect of being Death's champion.
Not sure what to say about the doctor and how they dealt with the issue. It was certainly better than letting her suffer
Actually sounds good...
Oh... oh god... I'm not hungry anymore.
I take it that Flicker will see more things that nopony else can. The veil has been lifted for death's champion,but how will he deal with this I wonder. What wonders and horrors walk among unseen by mortal eyes.
Hmm interesting... I look forward to more!
In less somber news, after reading Kudzu's patreon page I am convinced he is on the lam.
7788413
I fell through the cracks. Honest. Not a joke. I am trying to crawl back up out of the crack. It is almost impossible.
I see dead ponies[youtube=ZSNyiSetZ8Y]
And the government here is still debating Euthanasia, but it seems to be gaining traction finally, hope it happens. Some terminal patients die in needless pain.
The Loa of death has chosen it's mount. Being a champion of death does not necessarily mean one is a killer. Death can be merciful.In a world where undead exist deaths heard can also help restore the natural order.
So he doesn't remember... "The Deal"?
That does answer some questions. And of course raise more of them too. This really shouldn't surprise me at this point.
Canterlot a windy city? I'm a fan.
7788624
Lima Bean feels less like an intermediary and more like the personification/avatar of death.
Then again which one it is says a lot about kudzu's setting.
7788657
???
This answers the question I asked when he first met "Death" I'm actually glad it was mentioned again this soon.
7788671
The Loa are, to my knowledge, not deities so much as they are intermediaries for the one true god. So whether Lima Bean is the Loa of Death or simply Death tells a lot about the metaphysical structure of your setting.
I'm probably getting too specific.
7788684
Ah, I understand now.
Well that's good! Always love the seeing the dead thing. Flicker for most straightforward medium ever award.
Such is the fate of being death's champion.
OK, so they know that Flicker actually saw what he says he saw. But that doesn't mean he's not crazy.
7788848
I'm fairly sure his sane brand of crazyness has been established for a long time before this.
7788886
Just remember: only the insane survive, and those who survive deem what is truly insane.
7788915
But he's perfectly sane! Would a madman remember to don safety eyewear before operating a chainsaw? I don't think so!
As nighttime illicit ventures go, it was pretty tame.
Hmn. Does Flicker not remember his deal with death? So much about what just happened is perfectly obvious with the knowledge of it, but either Flicker is somehow just not connecting the dots or does not consciously remember that it happened. I can't remember anything from his perspective since that implies he does.
7788446 if I remember correctly The guy talking to the boy was dead the whole movie or at the very least most of the movie
See, this is the problem with being Lord Death of Murder Mountain: You can see everything from the summit.
Okay, so the meating was definitely Bucly style, woth Flicker not remembering it.
Well that certainly explains things! He seems to have no memories from his meeting with Death! Which is really quite unfortunate....
Ah, yes, this does answer my early question of whether Flicker remembers his meeting with Lima Bean.
Damn. Imagine how soul-crushing it must be to have visions of the dead on their way out of the mortal plane.
I like how you've described a bad weather day in Canterlot and how it affects everypony. Usually, it's depicted as a sunny, festive place but mountain sides are certainly not somewhere that you'd want to actually build a city. Even if they employ pegasi to deal with the weather 24/7 there are going to be some really terrible days and there's not much you can do when winter rolls in except hunker down and try to survive.
I wonder how they deal with landslides and avalanches? And does Canterlot have funiculars? They have trains, so the tech for funiculars is certainly available.
euthanasia is a dangerous topic to write about to begin with....but a foal....you braver then me kudzuhaiku.